


Slow

by iloveitblue



Series: Prompts [408]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Getting Together, M/M, carnie!Phil AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-13
Updated: 2017-01-13
Packaged: 2018-09-17 07:37:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9311810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iloveitblue/pseuds/iloveitblue
Summary: The one where Phil's family takes Clint in.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Phil stomped angrily away from the Barton household with Clint in tow. Clint could only blink wordlessly at Phil’s back as he followed the boy across town. He felt Phil squeeze his hand, and he smiled, mostly to himself, before he squeezed Phil’s hand back. 

Phil Coulson, a boy he knew for all of a week, just came barging into his house to pull Clint out of there just before his father had the chance to hit him again like a superhero. 

As they walked further and further away from Clint’s house - never really felt like a home to Clint - Phil’s pace slowed and his shoulders lost the tension it kept from a few minutes ago. Phil’s hand stayed in his though, even when they were already on the bus back to Phil’s home. 

“You lied to me,” Phil spoke for the first time since they left the house, “You told me you got those bruises-”

“It’s really not that big a deal, Phil,” Clint said, almost automatically. “My dad, he just-”

“It is a big deal, Clint. It’s a very big deal,” Phil hissed, glaring at the seat in front of him, “They hurt you. How could they do that?” 

Clint didn’t know how to answer Phil’s question, so he didn’t. Phil’s eyes turned soft as he looked at Clint for the first time since they left. He touched Clint’s left cheek, the bruise was starting to color now. Clint tried hard not to flinch at the touch, but the stinging pain made him shy away from Phil’s fingers. 

“You’re never going back there,” Phil said, squeezing his hand once more before he faced the front again.

You can’t just take me away. They’re my family.

I can take care of myself, Coulson.

Your parents will never take me in.

This isn’t a movie, Phil. I don’t need you to save me.

Clint could have said any of these to Phil at any point during that bus ride but he chose not to. Instead, he squeezed Phil’s hand back and thanked all the deities that were listening for bringing Phil into his life.

—

“It’s been how many years now, darling,” Phil’s mother asked as she diced the potatoes.

“Almost ten this year, hun,” His father answered from the living room, carrying boxes into the new house.

“Ten years,” Phil’s mother echoed, “I mean, I knew you wanted to take things slow but this is just ridiculous.” She sighed. 

“What exactly do you expect me to do?” Phil asked as he emptied the box labeled ‘Kitchen’. “We’ve been best friends for a long time and I can’t just throw that away because I have a silly little crush on him,” 

“Darling, A crush lasts for four months, any longer than that and you’re in love.” 

Phil sighed, “It doesn’t matter though. He doesn’t feel the same way, so why mess with the current dynamics of our relationship.”

“What makes you think your feelings aren’t reciprocated? That boy has been in love with you since the day you let him pet the lion.” 

Phil remembered that day. It was Clint’s fourth, maybe fifth, day with the Coulsons. Clint was more than happy to pull his own weight in the carnival, manning stands, helping backstage, but one thing he’s never tried was go near Carl the lion. Phil had asked him why and Clint told him that it was perfectly normal for him to be afraid of the big cat. Phil explained (after laughing his ass off) that Carl was the biggest softie in the whole carnival and taught Clint how to pet him.

“You’re my mother. You’re probably just projecting. Besides, we’re perfectly happy where we are now - friends.” Phil argued.

“Yes, but as your mother I don’t want you to settle for just happy. I want you to be happier. and I know that Clint will make you happier.” 

“I know that, but I can’t exactly pressure him into being with me just because it’ll make me happier. That’s just selfish.”

“You wouldn’t be pressuring me,” said a familiar voice. 

Phil just about lost all color in his face just as his mother scoffed and pretended not to hear anything.

“I mean, if you asked me out, I’d say yes, no question about it.” Clint said as he entered the kitchen, placing the groceries he just bought on the counter next to Phil’s mother. When Phil didn’t reply Clint started fiddling with the hem of his shirt, a nervous tick Phil noticed when Clint was new to them. “That’s what we’re talking about, right?”

“I… Yeah, yes.” Phil nodded, heart still pounding a million miles an hour. “I was going to ask you out on a date,” Phil clarified. “but I didn’t want to pressure you into anything so I didn’t…” Now that he was listening to himself, it seemed like a ridiculous reason.

“I would have asked you out too but I thought you saw me more as a brother so me asking you out would be… weird, I guess?” Clint took a step closer to Phil.

“Pfffffft.” Phil’s mother sniggered, “Yeah, brothers, right.” She took out some items from the shopping bag Clint brought back, “By the way, I’m cooking for two people, so you boys better head on out.”

Clint grinned wide, taking Phil’s hand in his and pulling him out of the Coulson’s new home. 

“Call if you’re gonna be home late!” Phil’s mother tried to call after them.

“Took them long enough.” Phil’s father said as he entered the kitchen. 

“Well, he is your son, Mr. I’ll-just-pine-quietly-for-seven-years,” Phil’s mother rolled her eyes.

**Author's Note:**

> [Here on tumblr](http://promptmephlint.tumblr.com/post/155819454836/im-looking-for-a-metal-targaryen-sigil-thats-at)


End file.
